Jun 2022 – Present · 3 yrs 9 mos · United Kingdom · Hybrid

• Senior leader responsible for delivery of one of the University’s four strategic priorities: improving graduate outcomes and institutional competitiveness. I lead strategy, financial planning, organisational design and performance delivery across careers, employability and enterprise.
• Key impact:
• Authored and secured approval for 2 consecutive university-wide three-year strategies aligned to institutional KPIs and league table performance
• Secured 100% budget growth (to £3.8m), aligning investment to measurable strategic outcomes
• Led full organisational restructure, creating 22 new roles and embedding a data-led operating model
• Directed the “Successful Futures” strategic major project, delivering institution-wide cultural change and a sector-leading digital pathway (later commercialised externally)
• Increased career readiness by 21% in two years, strengthening graduate outcome performance
• Designed and launched employability provision for the University’s Delhi campus, supporting international expansion
• Developed and secured funding for “Career Advantage,” a global international employability programme, which includes tailored support for Chinese and Indian students
• Embedded analytics, governance reporting and performance dashboards to strengthen executive oversight

Aug 2021 – Present · 4 yrs 7 mos · Hybrid

• Alongside my role as Treasurer, I am a Trustee on the Graduate Futures Institute (formerly AGCAS) Board, our UK-wide professional membership body. I was a Governance & Risk Committee Member from 2018 before becoming Treasurer and Chair.
• Board-level responsibilities and impact include:
• Financial stewardship, reserves and investment oversight
• Risk framework development and regulatory compliance
• Governance strengthening and reporting transparency
• Overhaul of Annual Report & Accounts
• Refresh of membership funding model
• Embedding board-level risk register and assurance processes

Jul 2017 – May 2022 · 4 yrs 10 mos · London Area, United Kingdom · On-site

• Led institutional careers strategy within a federated university structure, with full accountability for service transformation, financial management and performance improvement.
• Key impact:
• Developed and delivered two institutional three-year strategies aligned to corporate objectives and performance metrics
• Managed £440k budget in a financially constrained environment, strengthening financial controls and audit processes
• Led service transformation, doubling team capacity within one year to support growth
• Introduced structured audit and compliance review processes to mitigate operational risk
• Directed cross-university strategic programme (“Elements”) across all 18 academic departments
• Co-authored and secured £2.3m external funding to establish an Enterprise Hub
• Increased student engagement by 79% and achieved 96% satisfaction
• Member of group-wide senior leadership team contributing to strategic direction and risk oversight
• Recipient of consecutive Exceptional Service Awards and multiple sector awards for strategic innovation. In 2019, our service at Goldsmiths achieved Runner Up in Target Jobs Best UK University Employability Strategy 2019, IPSE University Partner of the Year 2019, AGCAS Award for Excellence: Significant Impact - Group Award, and we also shared in the awards for meeting the Customer Service Excellence and Leadership & Management standards across our Student Experience Directorate.
• I instilled a culture of evidence-based decision making, embedding analysis of Careers Registration into academic department planning. I was incredibly proud to lead our team's creation of the Elements employability mapping tool, training academic colleagues to map existing employability in the curriculum, identify gaps and plans to fill these, and incorporating Elements into programme reapprovals and core programme documentation.

May 2017 – Jun 2017 · 1 mo · East Dunbartonshire

• I was asked to take on this full-time voluntary role by Jo Swinson MP, to manage the campaign to regain her seat of Dunbartonshire East in the snap General Election. In the 7 week campaign, I chaired campaign team meetings, oversaw and co-ordinated the campaign, motivated volunteers, organised the systems for delivery of literature and canvassing, liaised with the media and organised VIP visits. It was incredibly satisfying to manage the campaign that saw Jo re-elected with a majority of 5,339, her largest majority ever.

May 2016 – May 2017 · 1 yr · Scotland

• I was appointed to this part time role by the Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, to oversee the campaign to gain further council seats across Scotland. My role was to chair campaign group meetings, ask difficult questions and ensure there was clear direction and a focus on practical actions to achieve results.

Jun 2012 – Dec 2016 · 4 yrs 6 mos · Glasgow, United Kingdom

• I led and managed the Careers Service for almost 5 years, providing an excellent service for students past and present to support them in career planning, job search and gaining employability and enterprise skills. During my time at Strathclyde, I introduced radical change to service provision, increasing 1:1 engagement by 34% and careers education coverage by 244%, proactively contributing to Strathclyde’s leap up the DLHE league tables in 2016 to 5th place in Scotland and 21st in the UK and increasing income generation year on year.
• I took responsibility for 2 further units (Study Skills, Maths Skills Support Centre) in 2014 and started re-shaping them too, emphasizing throughout the need to evidence success and embrace new thinking to enhance service delivery.
• As Convener of AGCAS (Scotland) from June 2015 - Dec 2016, I worked closely with all Scottish Heads of Service, engaged proactively with the UK body and led the development of the Scottish strategy.

Jan 2012 – May 2012 · 4 mos · Glasgow, United Kingdom

• As the face of Elizabeth Finn Care in Scotland, my role was to raise the profile of the charity, generate income, build partnerships with the 3rd sector, develop new services for the public and private sectors and work with the media and political worlds to ensure that EFC became a leading player in the field of financial support to those in need in Scotland.

Jul 2011 – Dec 2011 · 5 mos · Glasgow & West of Scotland

• I started to set up an online CV & interview advice service, building on my 16 years' experience in careers guidance & advising on effective job search. I offered CV tailoring, covering letter adaptation and mock interview practice. The service is targeted at professionals, those who are changing jobs or anyone recently made redundant. This built on decades of experience supporting friends, family and of course clients through my previous roles in careers guidance in developing effective job applications and performing at interviews.

Jun 2007 – May 2011 · 3 yrs 11 mos · Glasgow

• PSPC for Glasgow Region: June 2010 - May 2011
• PPC for Glasgow North target seat: June 2007 - May 2010
• Over the 4 years, my role was to set up & manage the Glasgow Campaign (inc fundraising, being face of campaign for media, managing volunteers, leading local campaigns, working with local voluntary groups, liaising with MPs / MSPs, increasing membership & engaging members in activities, creating effective data management & communication systems.
• Key achievements as PSPC & PPC:
• 1) Raised c £90k in 4 years (recognised as major fundraiser by the party nationally) & increased membership by 240% within 18 months
• 2) Led 3 successful local community campaigns (to save post offices, prevent a nightclub in the Botanics & protect a much loved West End lane)
• 3) Hugely increased party profile within Glasgow by engaging with local communities & the media
• 4) Initiated & led most effective campaigning in Glasgow for the Liberal Democrats in 30 years

Dec 1993 – Dec 2009 · 16 yrs

• I worked in the careers guidance field for 16 years, with Glasgow & Lanarkshire Careers Services / Careers Scotland / Skills Development Scotland. My career summary is:
• 1) Manager (National Operations): School College Collaboration Project - June 2007 - Dec 2009
• Role: To set up & manage all aspects of SCC project (inc setting clear objectives & milestones, managing £1.2 million annual budget, designing marketing materials, communicating with staff / partners / stakeholders, monitoring & evaluating performance & impact). I also managed a team of 6 staff who were co-ordinating other national projects.
• 2) Project Manager: Redundancy Advice Service - Dec 2003 - May 2007
• Role: To set up & manage the first Careers Scotland national European funded project, targeting individuals & employers facing redundancy. This inc managing £0.5 million budget, marketing project to employers & clients, setting up effective recording & communication systems, designing & implementing performance & impact measures, managing stakeholder & funder relationships & staffing).
• 3) Team Leader: Careers Scotland's Employers Centre - Aug 2000 - Dec 2003
• Role: to manage vacancyhandling service for employers, inc advising employers on best recruitment practice, promoting service to employers, creating national standards for vacancy handling & training staff across Scotland in effective recruitment & employer engagement, and improving systems to demonstrate impact.
• 4) Depute District Manager: Queen's Park Careers Centre - Aug 1997 - July 2000
• Role: To manage all aspects of careers centre, inc staffing, providing careers guidance to pupils in schools & the young unemployed, coaching new staff. Also acted as Senior UNISON Steward for 4 years (1996 - 2000), working with management & members on staff regrading & restructuring.
• 5) Careers Adviser - Dec 1993 - July 1997
• Role: Delivering careers guidance to school pupils, young unemployed, college students, helping employers recruit.